It was roughly eleven years ago, but the internet still hasn’t quite recovered from it. You know the photo. Kim stands in a literal tundra—specifically Deer Valley, Utah—wearing nothing but a microscopic triangle top and matching bottoms made entirely of what looks like shaggy animal hide.
Honestly, the Kim Kardashian fur bikini moment was the exact point where "vacation style" stopped being about flip-flops and started being about performance art. It was January 2015. Kanye West was still her primary stylist and photographer. They were on a "couples' trip" with several of their closest friends, but while everyone else was probably drinking hot cocoa in North Face parkas, Kim was out in the drifts posing in a "furkini."
The "Furkini" That Broke the Snow
Most people assume this was just a random Skims campaign from the early days, but Skims didn't even exist yet. This was pure "Kimye" era. Kanye reportedly designed the piece himself—or at least directed the custom build—pairing it with massive, knee-high shaggy boots that made her look like a high-fashion version of Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. It was provocative. It was cold. It was, in many ways, the blueprint for the modern influencer "thirst trap" in extreme weather.
- Location: Deer Valley, Utah.
- Photographer: Kanye West.
- Impact: Over 1 million likes in an era when that was actually hard to do.
The caption was simple: "Baby it's cold outside." It was basically a dare to the public to call her crazy, and people did. But they also couldn't stop looking. PETA, predictably, wasn't thrilled. Dan Mathews, an executive at the organization at the time, publicly slammed the look, calling it an "ugly legacy." The mystery that remained for years was whether it was real mink or just a very high-end faux.
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Faux vs. Real: The Great Fur Debate
Fast forward to 2019, and Kim made a pretty massive pivot. She announced on Instagram that she had "taken all her favorite fur coats and had them remade in faux." This was a huge win for animal rights activists who had been hounding the family for a decade.
But the Kim Kardashian fur bikini didn't die there. It evolved.
In late 2024 and early 2025, Skims—her billion-dollar shapewear empire—actually leaned into the nostalgia. They released a "Winter Heat" collection that featured a faux fur bikini. It wasn't just a nod to the 2015 moment; it was a commercialization of it. This time, however, the brand was very explicit: it was 100% faux.
The 2024 version was even smaller than the original. People on TikTok were calling it "fluffy nipple pasties." It’s kinda wild how she can take a moment that caused a scandal a decade ago and turn it into a sold-out product line today.
The "Full Bush" Controversy of 2025
If you think a fur bikini is weird, 2025 took it to a whole different level. Kim launched a Skims line that basically functioned as a merkin. I'm not kidding. They were thongs with straight or curly faux hair attached to the front, designed to mimic a "full bush" look.
It felt like a weird, full-circle moment for the furkini. The internet went into a tailspin. Was it a feminist statement about body hair? Was it just camp? Or was it Kim being Kim, knowing that "weird" sells better than "pretty"?
- The Original (2015): Real-looking fur, snowy Utah backdrop, Kanye-directed.
- The Revival (2024): Skims "Winter Heat" faux fur, blonde hair, tactical marketing.
- The Merkin (2025): Faux hair underwear, pushing the boundaries of what counts as "clothing."
Why We Still Talk About It
You've probably noticed that every winter, some influencer tries to recreate the "bikini in the snow" look. Kendall Jenner did it in Aspen. Rihanna has done versions of it. But Kim's 2015 shoot remains the "Patient Zero" of the trend.
It matters because it highlights the shift in Kim’s career from being a person who wears trends to a person who invents them through sheer audacity. She wasn't just wearing a bikini; she was wearing a costume that forced a conversation about fur, luxury, and the lengths people will go for a "grid-worthy" photo.
Some people find it tacky. Others think it’s genius. Honestly, it’s probably both.
If you're looking to capture that same energy without getting frostbite or a PETA protest at your front door, the move is definitely the faux route. The Skims versions usually sell out within minutes of a drop, but the "look" has trickled down to almost every fast-fashion retailer.
How to actually handle the furkini trend today:
- Check the material: Real fur is largely "out" in the fashion world. If you're buying vintage, that's one thing, but new fur is a PR nightmare you probably don't want.
- Contrast is key: If you're doing the "snow bikini" thing for the 'gram, the boots are actually more important than the suit. You need that heavy, oversized silhouette on the feet to balance out the tiny fabric on top.
- Safety first: Seriously. Don't stay out there for more than 5 minutes. Hypothermia isn't a good filter.
The Kim Kardashian fur bikini isn't just a piece of clothing anymore; it’s a Case Study in how to stay relevant for two decades. Whether she's wearing "furkini by Kanye" or "merkins by Skims," the goal is always the same: make you stop scrolling. And it works every single time.
Keep an eye on the Skims "Archival" releases if you're trying to snag one of the official faux versions, as they tend to pop up during the holiday season. Just remember to bring a robe.